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Would you like to unlock the secrets to building deeper, more rewarding relationships with your adult children?

Join us in this BONUS episode rewind for a compelling conversation with Dr. Ruth Nemzoff, author of "Don't Bite Your Tongue: How to Foster Rewarding Relationships with Your Adult Family." 

Ruth shares her invaluable insights on transitioning from a central role in your children's lives to finding a new way to connect as they gain independence. We explore the delicate balance of offering advice without alienating your adult children and the nuances of maintaining a loving and supportive relationship through thoughtful and timely communication.

We tackle the practicalities and emotional challenges of redefining relationships when adult children return home or continue living at home. Learn essential strategies for setting clear expectations, negotiating roles, and offering the right kind of support. We delve into real-life scenarios to provide actionable advice on balancing household responsibilities, encouraging independence, and fostering mutual respect. Gain a deeper understanding of evolving social norms around intergenerational living and the importance of self-awareness in navigating these new dynamics.

Finally, we venture into the realm of communication and boundaries, offering insights on how to navigate relationships with in-laws and manage family dynamics. Discover the power of open communication, humor, and positivity in diffusing tension and enhancing connections. Ruth's wisdom reminds us that while relationships are inherently imperfect, thoughtful communication and a willingness to understand different family cultures can transform friction into closeness. Tune in for personal anecdotes, practical advice, and a heartfelt discussion on maintaining harmony and intimacy within your family.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Another listener favorite! Today we discuss the sometimes difficult, yet rewarding relationships between mothers and daughters. We speak with Pam Tronson, parenting coach with a special certification in mother/daughter relationships. 

The connection between a mother and daughter is one of the strongest and most important family relationships. Accepting that it can be difficult and messy is key to being able to navigate the highs and lows. Bound by love we are often disappointed when our adult relationships with our daughters don’t meet the dream we had for that relationship. 

Pam offers solutions to help us let go of control and worry and avoid resentment. She discusses how the shame we feel, and the perceived “failed” relationship can get in the way of the repair that is needed.

Resolution only requires one person to change the trajectory of the relationship. And showing one another that they are worth the effort is impactful.

Beyond the personal stories and emotional shifts, Pam also discusses broader societal influences that affect motherhood. She addresses issues like parental anxiety, control, entitlement, and the normalization of worry. Highlighting the necessity of empathy and understanding different perspectives, Pam teaches us how redefining love and setting healthy boundaries can break the cycle of negative self-narratives. This episode is a treasure trove of heartfelt guidance, practical advice, and emotional support for anyone looking to navigate the complex, yet beautiful, bond between mothers and daughters.

Learning to practice self-care and to love yourself is the key to setting the necessary boundaries to build better, more meaningful relationships with our daughters. 

It's always a good idea to listen again!

Huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.
Send ideas to biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com.

Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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This episode dives deep into resilience.  We talk to a resilience expert and parenting coach about how to build resilience - in ourselves and our adult children.

Why do we sometimes look at the bad and forget to remember and be grateful for the positive?  Our guests explain that neuroscience tells us that we are programmed to look at the negative and much more difficult to remind ourselves of the positives. 

We discuss the  process that involves building our resilience muscles, such as positivity, confidence, and creativity.  Our guests are Linda Hoopes, founder of the Resilience Alliance , a licensed psychologist whose professional work focuses on resilience.   Joining Linda is Kris Burbank, a parenting coach for all stages of life to enhance their skills as professionals, parents, and partners. Together they co-authored the book, Embracing Another Normal: Resilience Stories and Strategies for Raising Children with Disabilities.

Though originally targeted for parents of families with children with disabilities, the book has grabbed the attention of all parents struggling to find their strength in parenting as their children move through life into young adulthood.

Their book begins with this quote from Winnie the Pooh to Christopher Robin:
“Promise me you’ll always remember.  That you’re braver than you believe and stronger than you seem.  And smarter than you know.”  
 
A big thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.  Send your thoughts to biteyourtongue@gmail.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Support us with a donation as little as $5 (purchasing a “virtual” cup of coffee).  Or joining our squad with a year's membership as low as $5 per month.  Link here now:  SUPPORT US.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Maybe you've recently read these headlines in the New York Times or The Wall Street Journal.

• "Well Into Adulthood and Still Getting Money From Their Parents.   Nearly 60% of parents provide financial help to their adult kids, a new study finds." WSJ
• "Parents Are Highly Involved in Their Adult Children’s Lives, and Fine With ItNew surveys show that today’s intensive parenting has benefits, not just risks, and most young adults seem happy with it, too." (NYT)

What you didn't know is that these articles  just covered a small bit of the extensive 2024 Pew Research study titled Parents, Young Adult Children and the Transition to Adulthood. The Pew Research Center is a non-partisan "fact tank" that helps inform the public about issues, attitudes and trends shaping our world. 

Today, we go behind the scenes to chat with one of the lead researchers on the study, Rachel Milken, and uncover what those big headlines really mean.   

We sort through the data helping listeners understand the stats and what the study really explores.  

Tune in to learn more about key milestones for young adults today vs. 30 years ago, financial help and independence in young adulthood, how parents really think their kids are doing, relationships, advice and even living together (you will be surprised that it works for many families.  

A big thank you to Connie Gorant fisher, our audio engineer and the look and feel of the podcast.  Send your thoughts and comments to biteyourtongue@gmail.com and we love to hear your ideas for future episodes. And follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Thank you to those of you who already support us. With a donation of $5 you can help keep us going. Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US. You can buy us a “virtual” cup of coffee or subscribe for a monthly subscription. Every bit helps. 

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Do you have a favorite child?  Maybe you think you don't but there are things you do or say that show something different.

Today we delve into the much overlooked topic of sibling relationships.  We speak with Fern Schumer Chapman author o the book Brothers, Sisters, Strangers.  Siblings are the longest relationship we will have in our lives - and our children's.  They share our history our family and our story.  Chapman shares her personal life story that led her to write this book. 

We talk about sibling rejection and how that can lead to feelings of self-blame, questioning one's worth, and a sense of loss. Individuals may constantly ruminate on what went wrong and how they can mend the relationship, leading to a significant emotional toll. This ongoing emotional pain can be likened to a persistent toothache or a wound that refuses to heal.

Chapman shares  risk factors that may cause sibling rifts and what our role as parents we  play.  By acknowledging these risk factors and perilous turning points,  research provides valuable insights into the complexities of sibling relationships. Understanding these factors can help individuals navigate and potentially reconcile with estranged siblings.

We also identify when it is safer for siblings to separate and why. 

There is no question that sibling relationships serve as a blueprint for future relationships with friends, colleagues, and romantic partners. The qualities of tolerance, generosity, and loyalty instilled by siblings can influence how individuals navigate social interactions throughout their lives.  This episode helps us understand it all.

Huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.
Send ideas to biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com.
Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference. 

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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For today's episode we brought back Tony and Alisa DiLorenzo to discuss their new book "The Secret to Breaking the Conflict Cycle in Your Marriage," and to share their wisdom on maintaining strong connections in all our relationships - and that means with our adult kids too!

We talk about  the need to actively engage in conflict resolution rather than avoiding or ignoring issues. (which most of us do!)

By being intentional, individuals can identify the root causes of conflicts, understand their own triggers and reactions, and work towards constructive solutions.

Intentionality involves setting clear goals for improving communication, understanding, and connection within relationships. It requires a commitment to addressing issues head-on and seeking resolution rather than letting conflicts fester.
Some of the key points include:

• Being intentional and taking action
• Words have power
• Knowing yourself;  addressing  your own weaknesses 
• Understand your conflict cycle

This one's all about strengthening relationships with your spouse and your adult child.  Tune in for some valuable insights and tips! #RelationshipsMatter

Remember, it's never too late to work on your relationship and create a positive impact on your family and future generations.

Visit One Extra-Ordinary Marriage website to review and download other free tools that  you will like.  Link to Conflict Cycle Workbook.

Huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Send ideas to biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com.

Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Today we speak with the legendary Charles Fay, Ph.D. who, with his father Jim Fay and Dr. Foster W. Cline founded Love and Logic.  For many years parents have turned to Love and Logic for guidance for their young children.  It is a trusted research-driven, whole child approach to child-rearing.

And now - guess what?  Dr. Fay is talking about how Love and Logic works for building healthy relationships with our young adult children!

We talk about their new book coming out in March 2024 that includes a chapter on young Adults.  The book is titled, “Raising Mentally Strong Kids: How to Combine the Power of Neuroscience with Love and Logic and Grow Confident, Kind, Responsible, and Resilient Children and Young Adults”, written by neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Amen and Dr. Charles Fay.

 Dr. Fay explains:

• How the successful techniques  used with our toddlers and teens can now apply to our adult children. 
• He outlines the five Steps of Empathy and how this helps free young adults to make their decisions  -- but also live with the consequences. 
• How giving up our own control puts the power into our adult children’s hands 
• What is the risk of setting them free? 
• How can we set our own boundaries when needed and why it is important? 
• By removing the chaos we create deposits into a healthier parent-adult relationship. 

Two important takeaways:

• “We can never consistently work harder on someone else’s life than they are”
• “The more words I use, the more ineffective I become”. 

 Huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Send ideas to biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com.

Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference. 

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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In today’s episode Denise and Kirsten chat with renowned matchmaker Rachel Greenwald. Do you ever worry your adult child will never find a partner?  Do they spend too much time with their career rather than love?  Do you feel like they are always picking the wrong person?  Today we discuss whether parents should meddle in their adult child's dating life.  Greenwald offers insights about if, when, and how to navigate this tricky  issue that impacts the whole family.  We dig deep into the changing dating world that our adults are navigating. Greenwald explains the difference between a Dating Coach, a Matchmaker, and an Online Concierge.

New York Times columnist David Brooks sparked debate about that after he published his column “To Be Happy, Marriage Matters More Than Career.”  Greenwald tells us why she agrees with Brooks and how the COVID Pandemic changed dating and relationships in a positive way.  She tells us how to approach the subject with our adult children using words that are nonjudgemental.

Listen for more on:  Skills for dating today; how dating has become about gamification;  Does coming from a divorced or challenged family impact partner choices? She discusses other options for helping  your adult child in this area of their life including dating boot camps, podcasts and books.  We will share those  links in social media.

We discuss dating for seniors too!  Remember to listen to the interesting podcast Behind the Swipe, exploring issues facing men and women over 40 navigating the confusing world of online dating.

Huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer. Write to us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com and let us know your questions and ideas for episodes!

Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference. 

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Today we discuss the sometimes difficult, yet rewarding relationships between mothers and daughters. 

We speak with Pam Tronson, parenting coach with a special certification in mother/daughter relationships. 

The connection between a mother and daughter is one of the strongest and most important family relationships. Accepting that it can be difficult and messy is key to being able to navigate the highs and lows. Bound by love we are often disappointed when our adult relationships with our daughters don’t meet the dream we had for  that relationship. 

Pam offers solutions to help us let go of control and worry and avoid resentment. She discusses how the shame we feel, about the perceived “failed” relationship can get in the way of the repair that is needed.

Resolution only requires one person to change the trajectory of the relationship. And showing one another that they are worth the effort is impactful.

Learning to practice self-care and to love yourself is the key to setting the necessary boundaries to build better, more meaningful relationships with our daughters. 

Asking the right questions of ourselves and our daughters will help guide productive conversations. What else could be true? Am I part of the problem or part of the solution? 

And learn to stop comparing ourselves and our relationships with our daughters to what we perceive others have. 

Huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.
Write to us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com and let us know your questions and ideas for episodes!

Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Support Us here:

• Sustaining member: Small donation once a month
• A one-time virtual cup of coffee - $5

Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com 

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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We're thrilled to be joined by Julie Lythcott-Haims, the author of "How to Raise an Adult" and "Your Turn." As a former dean at Stanford University, Julie offers a unique lens to view the nuanced world of parenting, and the perils that lurk within the shadows of over-involvement.

This captivating episode is a deep dive into the challenging world of raising children into responsible adults. Julie illuminatingly discusses the societal pressures that implore parents to hover, the pitfalls of over-parenting, and her expert insights on striking the crucial balance between supporting and empowering young adults.

From discussing the financial struggles of young adults and the potential solution of multi-generational living, to the consequential impact of the political climate on their decision-making, we're crossing a vast expanse of challenges.

We stress the importance of treating adult children as independent adults, setting boundaries, and open communication.

We also delve into the nitty-gritty of different parenting styles, from authoritative to neglectful, underscoring the significance of being an authoritative parent who sets rules while demonstrating love and care.

As our children grow into adults, we discuss transitioning to a more supportive and consultative role and offering practical parenting advice. This episode is packed with profound insights and practical advice, promising to be an engaging, insightful, and enlightening discussion on raising responsible adults. So, hit the play button and let's reshape the future of our relationships with adult children together!

Link to HOW TO BE AN ADULT TED TALK WITH JULIE.

Huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer. Write to us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com and let us know your questions and ideas for episodes!

Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference. 

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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We had a fantastic time chatting with the talented author and journalist, Jessica Grose, who helped us understand the intricate landscape of parenting today and how she fares as a young adult.  We talk about how we can support our young adult children today.   
Her book, Screaming on the Inside, the Unsustainability of American Motherhood, is both an historical look at motherhood and a sounding alarm on the state of motherhood today.  She acknowledges that one major change in society could make a big difference for parents today.  Do you think you know what it is?

Jessica Grose is an Opinion Writer for The New York Times and if you have not read her articles - you must subscribe now.  She brings two sides to this interview.  The side of a young mother balancing career and family and  being a young adult. 

She wrote an article for The New York Times titled “Your Mom is Destined to Annoy You: how to manage your inevitable holiday regression,” and then after the height of COVID, when folks started traveling again, she wrote an article titled “The Return of the Holiday Season Agita.” 

In  today's episode we talk about it all.  Jess is truly  one of the most grounded  young adults I've spoken with in a long time. I told her this in the interview and she takes an educated guess as to why she is this way.  We talk about how motherhood has changed over the years but also how it has stayed the same.  You will be surprised to hear a quote she shares from The New York Times Parenting columnist Catherine Mackenzie from 1939. 
Huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer. Write to us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com and let us know your questions and ideas for episodes!
Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US. 

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Today's episode we speak with the "Godmother of Silicon Valley,"  Esther Wojcicki. 
If you have not heard of her - you must listen to this episode.

She is the author of the best selling book "How to Raise Successful People - Simple Lessons for Radical Results"
 She's as expert no doubt because she has raised three enormously successful daughters including Susan Wojcicki,  who was the CEO of Youtube from 2014 to 2023. Janet Wojcicki, a professor of Pediatrics and Anne Wojcicki, co-founder and CEO of 23 and Me.

How does this relate to our adult children?  She talks about a strategy she calls TRICK – Trust, Respect, Independence, Collaboration and Kindness.

Each of these are essential in our relationships with our adult children.  She gives advice to those listeners who are grandparents and also a general overview of the challenging world we are all in today.  

What is our role?  How schools are failing our kids and once again the role of over-involment in our children’s lives and how this impacts their journey in life.

Hear her thoughts on nature vs nurture and much more.

Thank so much to Connie Gorant Fisher our audio engineer.  Write to us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com and let us know your questions and ideas for episodes!

Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Ever felt the sting of disappointment when your adult children don't quite live up to your dreams for them? Join us in a special rewind episode where we sit down with the insightful Jane Adams, PhD, author of "When Our Grown Kids Disappoint Us."  Jane unpacks the emotional rollercoaster that many parents experience, offering her personal story and expert advice for letting go and allowing children to grow into their unique identities. Her years as a social psychologist and parent coach shine through, providing listeners with practical strategies to foster authentic and loving relationships with their adult kids.

We also tackle the heavy burden of parental guilt, especially in extreme situations like incarceration or drug addiction. We delve into the difference between guilt and regret, encouraging parents to support their children healthily without being consumed by unwarranted guilt. Setting boundaries and providing structured support are key themes as we also touch on the complexities of financial support and sibling rivalry. We wrap up by engaging our listeners for feedback and suggestions, stressing the importance of open communication within families. Tune in for a comforting and enlightening episode that promises to reshape your perspective on parenting adult children.

Huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Send ideas to biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com.

Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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 This is a not to be missed episode!

We talk to Dr. Gene Beresin, Executive director of The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a full professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and senior educator in child and adolescent psychiatry at MGH

His 40-years of experience working with youth and young adults has given him an enormous breath of knowledge. And, in addition to his professional life, he's learned quite a bit about building healthy relationships with adult children, since he is a father of four with nine grandkids! He tells us that almost all of them moved home after college or between college and grad school. He says that they all have kids -- making family relationships complex, but incredibly rich and rewarding. You will have to listen for more! A sampling of the topics:

• Work-life balance.
• Boomerang Kids (a listener question).
• Which generation is the loneliest and most entitled? 
• AI, robots -- our adult kids and the future.
• Racism.
• How socioeconomic status plays into relationships with adult children.
• Our expectations and impulse control.
• Gap years - and more.

Huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Write to us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com and let us know your questions and ideas for episodes!

Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference. 

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Struggling with your adult kids?  Are they about to cut you out of their lives or you just want to build a stronger relationship?  We cover it all in this episode, where we speak with Dr. Joshua Coleman about two of his books:

• When Parents Hurt: Compassionate Strategies When You and Your Grown Child Don't Get Along
•  Rules of Estrangement: Why Adult Children Cut Ties and How to Heal the Conflict

Dr. Coleman speaks with us about the shift in culture and parenting that has led to an alarming increase in adult children choosing to be estranged from one or both of their parents. These children are quick to blame parents for everything they see as not working in their own lives or holding them back from the life they want.

With Dr. Coleman, we explore reasons behind that shift and the effects of how parents can and should respond for less conflict. How do we navigate estrangement from our adult children? Can we avoid it? And who is in the driver’s seat?

Dr. Coleman shares his own personal experience with an adult child who chose to be estranged for a period of time, and how he was able to navigate that experience.

Most importantly, Dr. Coleman shares the importance of taking care of ourselves through parenting our adult children while acknowledging that our relationships with our adult children may not be what we imagined.

We welcome Kirsten Heckendorf, mother of three adult children as our guest host.

A huge thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Write to us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com and let us know your questions and ideas for episodes!

Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. 

And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference. 

#expectations #realizations #takingthehighroad #parentingadults #parenting #adults
#mentalhealth

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Today we speak with Kimberly Damon.  Kim, a certified life coach who wears a multitude of hats. 

Kim discusses the importance of finding a lesson in everything, practicing self-reflection and embracing acceptance. These themes highlight the transformative power of personal growth and understanding in relationships, particularly between parents and their adult children.

Kim shares her own journey of experiencing estrangement with her children and parents, which compelled her to seek solutions and mend these fractured relationships.  She helps us learn to take responsibility for our own happiness and healing our emotions, while also recognizing that we are not alone in our struggles.

We also talk about negative thoughts and how we sometimes develop these about ourselves or our relationships with our adult kids.  How to take charge of these thoughts and realize that sometimes they may not necessarily be true. This can lead to negative emotions and inaccurate perceptions of our circumstances.

I promised a link to the video Kim's Empty Nest Conference where Denise was interviewed.  Link here to view.

Here is a link to Kim’s website, her podcast, Midlife Worthy Moms;  and her work as an Enneagram Coach. Kim is also offering a FREE Thriving Workbook and 3-Part Video.  Just visit this link to sign up.

Thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher our audio engineer. 

Email us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com and let us know what you think.

Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com to support us for as little as $5 and

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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 On Mother's Day 2023, my daughter Catie sent me a link to a book and wrote, "the author and her mom would make great guests on your podcast."

The book “What to Do When I’m Gone, A Mother’s Wisdom to her Daughter” sparked my interest. I ordered the book and loved it. I told my daughter I would love to do an episode with the authors of this book - as long as she was the guest co-host.  She agreed.

So here we are, two adult children and two mothers talking about death.

We talk to illustrator/writer Hallie Bateman and her mom, retired journalist Suzy Hopkins on navigating the world without the person who gave you life. We discuss the sometimes difficult relationships with mothers and daughters, preserving memories and family history and the ups and downs of their collaboration.

It's a funny, fun and thoughtful episode that I think anyone with adult sons or daughters would enjoy. Hallie tells us that many readers wrote that the book inspired them to build stronger relationships with their sons, daughters, relatives, friends – even pets.

And they have another book on the way - What to Do When You Get Dumped! Suzy shares the personal story that inspired this book.

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher our audio engineer.  Write to us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com and let us know your questions and ideas for episodes!

 Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5 you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference. 

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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In this episode, we talk to Dr. Laurence Steinberg about his new book - You and Your Adult Child:  How to Grow Together During Challenging Times.

He brings us a whole new perspective. Touted as the first comprehensive guide for parents navigating the crucial decades of their children's lives, we explore everything so many issues. We delve into the complexities of the parent-adult child relationship and discuss the challenges and changes that come with this stage of life.

Steinberg shares valuable insights on topics such as setting boundaries, fostering autonomy, and navigating financial support. We explore the impact of societal changes on the parent-adult child dynamic and how to build a positive relationship during this crucial phase.

It's a must-listen for anyone seeking to strengthen their relationship with their adult children or gain a deeper understanding of this unique stage of life.

We cover many topics ranging from  whether you should be involved in your child’s college education, how to behave when they unexpectedly must move back home, how to state your opinion on their romantic partners, what to do when you disagree with the way they are raising their own child, and what parameters to apply if you want to give them money for a specific reason. 

Steinberg helps us understand the challenging climate our young adult children are navigating and how we can be supportive yet not intrusive.  He offers some real tools and new ideas about navigating this journey.
 
Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher our audio engineer.  Write to us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com and let us know your questions and ideas for episodes!
 
Also remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram. And once again, with just a donation of $5, you can help us keep going!  Visit our website at biteyourtonguepodcast.com and select SUPPORT US.  You can buy a "virtual" cup of coffee for $5 and it will make a huge difference. 

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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It's June and that is typically wedding season.  So we thought we'd combine our two wedding episodes into one BEST OF THE BEST.  You will hear first from fAleigh Huston-Lyons, a therapist and coach at AisleTalk: Consultation & Therapy.  A boutique practice devoted to helping brides and grooms cope with the stresses that arise during wedding planning and anticipation of marriage. From engagement and finances to the invite list and drama, Aleigh puts in all in perspective. Social media has taken a toll on weddings and learn how Aleigh gives some sound advice on keeping it all under control.

Next we welcome Michelle Martinez, who is not only a Certified Wedding Consultant, with more than 20 years in the wedding and events industry, but also the creator and host of the world's mosts popular wedding podcast - The Big Wedding Planning Podcast. With 300 episodes under her belt and nearly three million downloads, she's been around the block a few times!

It seems to all come back to what Julie Dolan told us in our grand-parenting episode about being the loving and loyal servant.

If you are in the stages of wedding planning and don't have the budget for a big time wedding planner, Michelle now offers a masterclass on her website.  A tiny percent of what a full wedding planner would cost.  Check it out her Master Class offer here.

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher our audio engineer who did her very best in editing, cutting and splicing these two episodes together! 

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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It's Pride Month and we are taking a second look at the LGBTQ+ community.

We have two guests.  The first is Linda K. Reeves,  a licensed marriage and family therapist certified as a gender specialist by the  World Professional Association for Transgender Health.  She is the founder of Linda K. Reeves Therapy. Her therapy utilizes her clinical  skills in the treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-binary, questioning, and queer identified individuals. 

Her recent article in Good Housekeeping, "How to Support Your LGBTQ+ Kid When He, She or They Come Out," got our attention.  We talk to her about this and well as what it means for a young person to come out to their family and friends.  We discuss how to respond to your child or friend and what to say and what not to say.  We also talk about the current continued discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community,

We switch gears entirely when we welcome a Tik-Tok sensation - JannaTransMomma.   (she explains the unusual spelling of mamma).  Janna is a a single mom to a trans child named Cody.  She’s been identified as a key influencer on Tik-Tok (love it or hate it) for making a real difference for trans youth. 

She gives us a quick 101 lesson on what it means to be transgender, how to support your child and/or friends or family.  Janna shares some of the scary statistics about trans people and suicide.  Acceptance, she says, will save a life. She is honest about the mistakes she made on her journey and is funny, delightful and very knowledgeable.  She shares these sites for additional resources:   Pflag:  plfag.org
Rainbow Youth Project : RainbowYouthProject.org and Uplift Outreach Center:  UpliftOutreachCenter.org

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.
Support us :  Visit Biteyourtonguepodcast.com for many ways to keep us going!

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Welcome back to THE most downloaded episode of Season 2.
 Our guest today, one of the foremost experts who studies how individuals and families develop and change throughout their lives, tells us that as we age, we regret not reconciling with family members we may be estranged or distant from. 

Today we welcome Dr. Karl Pillemer, Professor of Human Development at Cornell University, where he is also a faculty member in Cornell’s medical school. He is the author of the book: “Fault Lines, Fractured Families and How to Mend Them.” He is the author of several other remarkable books about love, relationships and aging.

We are also welcoming a guest host - Stacie Lavato. Stacie is a long-time listener and reached out to us after we dropped the episode on understanding LGBTQ+ with Levi Teachey and Stacey Shigaya.  She wrote such a heartwarming email and the two of us connected.  Then, I learned that Stacy produces her own podcast called “Mindful Mama Conversations,” I listened to a few, and I liked her topics and her style, so I asked her to join me.

The biggest “ah ha” moment for Stacie and I is when Dr. Pillemar mentioned “intergenerational stake.” We both had never heard of this - but it makes perfect sense. It is the generational bias in parents' and adult children's perceptions of their joint relationship.   

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Happy Mother’s Day!
  
 Today we are joined by two amazing moms with great advice for keeping our relationships with our adult children healthy, fun and spirited.  
 
 Also listen for some special Mother’s Day messages of support and advice from some young adults!  

This will be an episode that will get you thinking, make you smile and lift you up.
 
 We hope you enjoy it!
 
 Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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Great Deal for Listeners!
Denise's favorite shape-wear company.  Denise particularly LOVES their best selling Truekind Daily Comfort Wireless Bra.  "It holds you up and is so comfortable.  I am hooked - truly," says Denise.  There are also camis, underwear, leggings and much more! Use this link and just put biteyourtongue (one word) in the CODE at checkout.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Street Interviews with Young Adults and Parents from Around the World!
As the old saying goes, “the best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray.” That is exactly what happened.

Denise's plan to visit Ellen in Prague took a turn when Ellen, then in Boston, tested positive for COVID just a few days before her planned trip to Prague for Denise's arrival.

She thought she might join a few days later if she tested negative, but her mother, who lives in Wisconsin, took a fall and Ellen went to take care of her.  Denise and her husband, Kevin, spent 10 days in Prague in Ellen’s apartment... sadly, without Ellen. The episode we had planned, about Ellen's book, had to be cancelled!

So, today we are sharing street interviews with parents and adult children that Denise conducted in Prague. We interviewed people from Germany, New Zealand, Great Britain, the US and more. We also include some interviews from New York City’s Central Park. 

We learned pretty quickly that some of the struggles parents have with their adult children are global issues. You will have to listen to learn more - it’s a fun episode!

Thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, who took what we gave her and made the episode quite special and unique.
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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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We are answering your questions!  When our inbox fills with numerous questions on a particular topic from listeners, we know it's time for a dedicated podcast episode addressing those questions.  However, not every query requires a full episode but each deserves an insightful answer. In this special installment, we've compiled questions from you—our listeners via email and social media—and provided answers that we hope will resonate with many.

In this episode, we cover:

• Building strong bonds despite time and distance challenges.
• Navigating generational expectations and enhancing communication skills.
• Establishing healthy boundaries during divorce to support children without overstepping.
• Exploring how motivational interviewing techniques can empower adult children facing their own challenges.
• Addressing sibling estrangement and more.

We conclude with heartfelt discussions and actionable advice aimed at fostering stronger, healthier family relationships.

Special thanks to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer. Share your thoughts with us at biteyourtongue@gmail.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Support Our Podcast: You can support us with a donation as small as $5—equivalent to buying us a "virtual" cup of coffee. Consider joining our squad with an annual membership starting at just $5 per month.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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This episode digs deep.  Today we interview Daniel Maté,  who, with his father  Dr. Gabor Maté has been holding  highly engaging and popular workshops called “Hello Again - A Fresh Start for Parents and Their Adult Children."

He points out that they do not call their workshops "a happy ending," instead it is a "fresh start."  Everyone's fresh start will look different and he talks about how to get there.

Dr. Maté, Daniel's father is a renowned speaker and author who, as his website says: "weaves together scientific research, case histories, and his own insights and experience to present a broad perspective that enlightens and empowers people to promote their own healing and that of those around them."

And that is what we hear from Daniel today.  How they work with parents and adult children and sort carefully this "intense, speedy relationship."  "Once you are an adult," he says, your relationship with your parents is a choice...that comes with risks, rewards and pitfalls."  This is not an episode with "answers," this is an episode to truly get you to think and examine so many aspects of yourself, your child-rearing and your adult children.   This episode will help you realize what is possible.

Read more about Daniel and his father's book, the New York Times best selling book “The Myth of Normal.”   Link to Daniel's Mental Chiropractic Service and as an award-winning composer, lyricist, and playwright for musical theatre don't miss his podcast  --  Let’s Get Lyrical.
Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.
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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Disrespect.  We've all been there with our grown children.  The rolling of the eyes, the under the breath grunt and sometimes just complete disrespect.  Is it normal?  How do we react and handle it?

Today we speak with Jennifer Williams who is the founder of Heartmanity and the Heartmanity Center, located in Bozeman, Montana. Her passion is to help people create thriving relationships.

She  wrote a blog titled  “How to Deal with a Disrespectful Grown Child” and we thought well that’s a topic we’d all like to delve deep into. I don’t know about you, but I was a bit of a “know it all” in my early adult years and not always as respectful as I could have been to my own parents.  So why am I surprised when I get a bit of lip from my kiddos?  Well, let's find out. 

She takes us deep into understanding our role, how to lead with empathy, set boundaries and build the relationship we all deserve.  She also offers and explains three key actions parents can take to stay connected and have a great relationship with their adult children - whatever age they are!

We hope you enjoy it!

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Today we talk to Dr. Jefferey Berstien. He is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been helping children, teens, couples and families for over thirty years. He is the author of several books including his latest - now coming out in its third edition called 10-days to a Less Defiant Child. The articles he has written are numerous covering many subjects.  Because of his breadth of experience we thought we’d use this episode to ask Dr. Bernstein many of our listener questions.  

 We talk about disrespect, significant others, identifying if it's a struggle or are we or they choosing not to?   Identifying our own baggage and moving forward to really begin to establish a relationship that is strong and satisfying for all parties. Dr. Bernstein role plays with us to really help us find the right words. 

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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And remember sometimes you may have to BITE YOUR TONGUE!

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Today we speak with Tracy Hargen who tells us about her journey to becoming a featured writer on so many topics for the popular website Grown and Flown.
She helps us, with real ideas, for starting conversations with our adult children that are not just about their jobs and relationships, but work to build our relationship with them as adults.

We talk about this article “We Absolutely Made the Right Choice to be Friends with Our Children.” and why this matters so much.  And even if you are starting late she says "Parenting is the ultimate friendship – you will always be bound by DNA to have a relationship but friendship is choice," with many suggestions for getting started.

We talk about her son and his battle with mental health disease and how her family faced this journey.  This article she wrote exploded on Grown and Flown ranking as one of the top downloaded blog posts for the year!  Here is a link to the article. She talks about the picture that is featured with this story.

We also talk about her article, What's Important Now? Now That my Children are Grown, What is My Purpose?  We discuss the questions we need to ask ourselves as we enter into this new stage of life.  There is so much more!  We loved chatting with Tracy and hope you will visit her site and read all of her blog posts - they resonated with us!

Write to us at biteyourtonguepodcast@gmail.com - share your ideas and thoughts about new episodes and topics!
Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher our audio engineer.
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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Before we get into this episode I want to remind listeners to sign up for this FREE "Graceful Empty-Nester" Virtual Conference.  It begins on February 19 and runs through Feb 28. There are featured experts with strategies to reconnect with your children, heal relationships and inspire a future of connectivity!  You can listen to one two or all of them! Denise is one of the guests and shares some of the bests pieces of advice from all of our 40+ episodes.   Link her to grab your front seat!

Today we are replaying a wonderful episode about religion and spirituality.  Just passing a few major religious holidays we thought it would be important to re-visit our feelings about our adult children and their religious choices.

How many of you struggled to get your adult child to attend religious services or maybe you are worried about your grandchild having any religious upbringing.

Whatever your concerns you will love this wonderful discussion with the Reverend Elizabeth P. Randall and Galit Pinksy Gottlieb. 

Elizabeth is the Rector at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Denver, Colorado.  She is a graduate of Smith College and Yale Divinity School and  was one of the first clergy in Denver to recognize and perform weddings for the LGBTQ community. She’s been happily married for over 30-years to someone who is Jewish. Together they have one daughter.   Since the interview, Elizabeth is now a grandmother to a wonderful grandson named Frank. 

Galit, who practices Conservative Judaism, served as a Synagogue Cantor for many years. She is also an author as well as a mother and the wife of a Jewish scholar. Her children were raised in the Jewish tradition and now are all in long-term relationships with non-Jewish partners.

So many journeys to understand, learn and accept.  We think both Elizabeth and Galit offer support, understanding and some brilliant and thoughtful ideas and approaches.

Galit is also an author of a wonderful mystery book series called the Whipped and Sipped Mysteries. 

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Don't underestimate how much the people who come after you are going to know about you! 

Today, our guest is Erik Vance.  He is an award-winning story-teller and New York Times editor based in Boulder, Colorado. (lucky guy).

 We came upon an article he wrote called:  "How I Time-Travel to Parent My Adult Son." When we started to read it really had nothing to do with adult kids, but then it did.

Backstory:   Vance says: “Once a year I record a brutally honest conversation for my little boy. " He says (and we confront him on this) that is doing it now because he thinks he is more interesting at this age than in 20 years!  We don't think so!

Our Adult Kids and Grandkids:   it is never too late and don’t  underestimate how much the people who come after you are going to want to know about you.  Think about it.  

• If you could listen to your mother or father NOW and hear how they felt when you were a young adult - wouldn't you savor it?
• If you could hear the voices of your grandparents and learn more about their journey  - what a gift!

I think all of us agree that we would love to hear the voices and experiences of our parents and grandparents - honest talk about their lives and struggles --  and as Erik said it can only help them feel like they can do it too.

It's not too late. We are going to give it a shot and hope that this interview with Erik encourages many of our listeners to do the same,

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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This is the  most requested topic by our listeners!

We talk to Dr. Mark McConville,a Clinical Psychologist and author of the book - “Failure to Launch,” Why Your Twentysomething Hasn’t Grown Up….What to Do About It. Dr. McConville is an expert in adolescent psychology and his groundbreaking book comes at a time when 2.2 million young adults in America are struggling to find their way in the world.

We talk about the root cause of the problem, why modern young adults are failing to launch in record numbers and the three critical skills necessary to make the transition from childhood to adulthood.

He mentions the old adage of "benign neglect" and we found this article about this and the author says: "I think children are just like hearty houseplants — they should be watered liberally and you should ensure they get ample sunshine. But otherwise, just let them be."

Do we love too much?

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Support us  P L E A S E!
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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Listener requested!  The wedding is over.  Grandchildren have arrived, but now there is trouble in paradise. 

Your Adult Child is Getting a Divorce. When to bite our tongues? How or when to offer advice? The wedding was such an exciting time and now the heartache begins.   This episode will help you navigate the toughest situations.

Also, we are going to explore narcissism and how to identify this characteristic in your adult children or significant others.

We talk to two therapists in this episode. The first is Alena Scigliano. She is a licensed psychotherapist and an expert in narcissistic abuse. Narcissism also seems to be a trigger for divorce.

We also speak with Ashley Quamme, a marriage and family therapist based in Columbia, Georgia. She specializes in EFT - Emotionally Focused Therapy. We’d like to learn more about that, too.

We explore everything from

• How your initial response can set the tone
• How to be supportive but not overbearing
• How to recognize a narcissistic partner
• How divorcing a narcissist can impose a new can of worms
• What about the grandchildren?

And so much more... Even if divorce is not on your radar, we think you will find the discussion interesting and learning about narcissism was a real eye-opener for us!

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Today we are rewinding and sharing a holiday episode we loved.  We interview Jane Isay. She is the author of the book Walking on Eggshells, Navigating the Delicate Relationships between Adult Children and Parents. She is a New Yorker from birth and gets right to the point.

Have you had enough togetherness during the holidays? "Shut the door," she says. 

How about when the kids come home, how to make them happy? "Give them the keys!"

And, wait until you hear what she said about her son who was Chief of Staff for Chuck Schumer's first senatorial campaign.  And just as a hint - it references Al D'Amato!!!! 

We hope you laugh out loud with this episode and love Jane as much as we did.

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Don't Bite Your Tongue -- that is what today's guest says!  "Silence does not build intimacy."  Today Denise and Ellen interview Dr. Ruth Nemzoff, the author of the book "Don't Bite Your Tongue: How to Foster Rewarding Relationships with your Adult Family."

Dr. Nemzoff claims it is better not to bite your tongue. Bringing up important topics builds intimacy, but there is a right and a wrong way to do it. And she gives us the scoop.

We discuss how to feel confident raising issues of importance, as well as saying "good-bye" to our fantasies and "hello" to reality.

We also talk about short and long visits with our adult kids -- how to handle it, how long is too long and more! Perfect for the holidays!

She's a breath of fresh air, a brilliant woman that has walked the walk who provides us with a pathway to follow.

Some things we talk about:

• Learning the tools to keep talking - so they will listen
• Figuring out our relevance as parents to adult children - no longer in charge
• How to feel confident raising issues of importance
• We cannot be close to our children if we don't communicate the things that are important
• Letting go is not the solution!
• Goodbye to fantasy and hello to reality - let go of your dreams

 Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher - our audio engineer!

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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In this episode we talk to Francine Russo, Francine Russo, a renowned journalist and author of "Love After 50: How to Find It, Enjoy It, and Keep It." 

Francine shares her personal journey through widowhood and divorce, and the unique advantages of finding love later in life. She says new love in later years is the best love. Listen and find out why.

Merging families in adulthood, also known as adult stepfamilies or later lifestyle families, can be challenging.  Some say it can take up to five years to create harmony, and that the divorce rate is higher for people who marry a second time. 

Then there are the issues of pre-nuptials, estate planning and making sure your children are not left of the mix. This tends to be even more challenging with a second marriage, especially if you both have children from previous marriages or relationships. 

We talk bout the legalities to consider prior to plunging into a second marriage. A significant difference in age and financial resources can also cause difficulties and potential delays. However, the consequences of avoiding this conversation are even more dire in a blended family because laws affecting estate distribution have been written to better fit the needs of a traditional first marriage.

We also talk about how to approach the sensitive topics of dating and divorce with your adult children and practical tips on when to introduce your new partner.

A big thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer. Share your thoughts with us at biteyourtongue@gmail.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Today Ellen and Denise are talking to Ellie and Carrie Monahan.  They are sisters and as some of you might know they are the daughters of Katie Couric, an American journalist and author.  

They just started a podcast and I listen to every Friday when they drop episodes. The title is: “All Each Other Has.” We love listening to the voices of these young adults - Ellie (a millennial ) and Carrie (on the Gen Z cusp).  

The first SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS.  They explain that the podcast is titled - “All Each Other Has,” because their mother always told them -- “Be nice to each other – you are all each other has.”   

And as parents of adult children, we all want our children to be close to their siblings because as they say: "you are all each other has."

They tell us their journey to being close (it was not always that way) and the role the death of their father Jay Monahan , who died when Ellie was five and Carrie was two-year-old. 

Also the week before the interview, their mother announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.  We also discuss how it feels to add a stepfather into your life as a young adult.   They give some good advice on how to break the "marriage" news to your young adult children and what it is like to have your single parent dating!  

They are very bright insightful young women.  We think you will like this.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Adult step children --  today you will hear from a step-parenting author and expert and -- to round things out --  some adult step children. 

Our guest says:  "I think being a step-parent is one of the hardest jobs in the world and it is also one of the biggest challenges to personal growth." 

Denise speaks with  Nancy Landrum, the author of the book “STEPPING TWOGETHER.”  Stepping TwoGether is part instruction, part information, part stories and part workbook.

In addition to having an MA in Psychology, Nancy has lived this journey with her late- husband and their five children. After years of working together her family has thrived.  In fact, they designed a curriculum for stepfamilies and have shared and taught their strategies throughout California.

She talks about how step-parenting  gets very complicated as the stepchildren grow to become adults and if you re-marry late in life and now you are a stepparent to adult children.

A little push for Ellen's new book - Ellen's new book coming in March - but now available on pre-order from Amazon.   The book, Bright Kids Who Couldn't Care Less, though written with a child in mind, translates to the young adult who is so bright and capable but just cannot seem to launch.   

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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What is the biggest regret of most parents today?

Our guest today, one of the foremost experts who studies how individuals and families develop and change throughout their lives, tells us that as we age, we regret not reconciling with family members we may be estranged or distant from. 

Today we welcome Dr. Karl Pillemer, Professor of Human Development at Cornell University, where he is also a faculty member in Cornell’s medical school. He is the author of the book: “Fault Lines, Fractured Families and How to Mend Them.” He is the author of several other remarkable books about love, relationships and aging.

We are also welcoming a guest host - Stacie Lavato. Stacie is a long-time listener and reached out to us after we dropped the episode on understanding LGBTQ+ with Levi Teachey and Stacey Shigaya.  She wrote such a heartwarming email and the two of us connected.  Then, I learned that Stacy produces her own podcast called “Mindful Mama Conversations,” I listened to a few, and I liked her topics and her style, so I asked her to join me.

The biggest “ah ha” moment for Stacie and I is when Dr. Pillemar mentioned “intergenerational stake.” We both had never heard of this - but it makes perfect sense. It is the generational bias in parents' and adult children's perceptions of their joint relationship.  He takes it a step further and lets us know why any difficulties in our relationships with our adult children will bother us much more than the adult children.

We address such questions as: How do rifts begin? What makes estrangement so painful?  Why is it so often triggered by a single event? Are you ready to reconcile? How can you overcome past hurts to build a new future with a relative?

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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We made you wait for this one!  Why you may have trouble sleeping as you age and what you can do about. 

Do you happen to know what the "on-off" switch for sleep is in your brain?  We did not.  But now we do.  Listen now to learn more about your sleep and how to make it better!

As you know in our last episode we interviewed a young researcher Mark Czeisler who was part of the COPE Initiative dealing with young adults and COVID.  If you missed this episode, here is a link.

While doing research on Mark we realized that he  has significant experience in the study of sleep! We got excited.  We know very few people our age who do not have some sleep issues!  (his credentials are below)

So, although this has very little to do with building healthy relationships with our young adult children, we thought this would be a great benefit to our listeners. 

We talk about:

• Why we are waking up in the middle of the night and not able to fall back to sleep
• The myth of needing less sleep as we age
• The science behind sleep
• What heredity might have to do with sleep
• His father's role as the Director of the Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School and how that translate to their family's sleep habits!
• The role of Melatonin and how we are all using it completely wrong!
• Sleep meds to consider or not
• Do sleep studies or doctors make a difference and when might you need one
• Tips for changing it all - and a lot of it has to do with that darn "blue light"

And the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 

Mark’s father, Charles Czeisler, PHD MD, is a Professor of Sleep Medicine, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Chief of the Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders in the Departments of Medicine and Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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Great Deal for Listeners!
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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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This is such an important episode and one that we hope all listeners will enjoy this second time around.

For parents of adult children, mental health disease is one of our most frightening thoughts.  We are hoping this episode will help us understand, support and accept this disease.  

This is a fabulous episode.  Today we speak with Dr. Elizabeth Cookson (Beth) a psychiatrist who has over 35 years of experience.  A former president of the Colorado Psychiatric Society, she is Board Certified in General and Addiction Psychiatry. She has dealt with children and adults of all ages in public psychiatric settings.

She is here so that all of us have a better understanding of mental health for both ourselves and our adult children. For over 15 years she worked as the Director of Psychiatry for the Colorado Coalition for Homeless.  

Beth explains in laymen terms for all of us the stages of mental health disease, when to look for signs and how to help your child you suspect may be suffering.  We cover so many topics.

We loved this episode and feel like Beth was a rockstar interviewee.  Here are links to the resources that Beth mentions in the episode:

• I'm Not Sick I Don't Need Help, by Xavier Amador, is the source of the LEAP approach (Listen - Empathize - Agree - Partner). More specifics can be found here.
• The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act - passed in 2008, went into effect 7/1/14. 
• The heritability statistics I Beth referred to are from REthink.  She says that their website has some of the clearest info and advice for families that she has seen.
• This blog by a therapist is Washington State has specifics about ways to access CRAFT 
• The Gardener and the Carpenter by Alison Gopnik

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Another listener favorite.  So many listeners wrote about how they put Dr. Heitler's suggestions to good use!

Join us for a conversation with Dr. Susan Heitler, a renowned relationship therapist. She is best  known for clarifying the basics of collaborative dialogue and provides wonderful techniques to use - not only with your adult children but for all of the relationships in your life you value.

You will take away real tools, words and actions to develop meaningful relationships.  This is a must listen.  Take your time, take notes and share with others you love.

Dr. Heitler appeared on the CBS Early Show where anchor Harry Smith introduced her as “the most influential person in my life—my therapist.”  He encouraged his viewers similarly to seek therapy when they feel  distressed and to check out pre-marital counseling before they wed.

Some links you will enjoy:

• Dr. Heitler's Website  therapyhelp.com
• Dr. Heitler's Tedx Talk
• Psychology Today (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/susan-heitler-phd)
• Power of Two (https://www.poweroftwomarriage.com/)
• This is from Modern Love: The Podcast.  We thought it was appropriate for the advice Dr. Heitler gave us:  "Shamu and a Happy Marriage." (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/11/style/modern-love-what-shamu-taught-me-happy-marriage.html)

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Support us  P L E A S E!
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Great Deal for Listeners!
Denise's favorite shape-wear company.  Denise particularly LOVES their best selling Truekind Daily Comfort Wireless Bra.  "It holds you up and is so comfortable.  I am hooked - truly," says Denise.  Use this link and just put biteyourtongue (one word) in the CODE at checkout.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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This is the episode we've gotten the most mail about!  Listeners loved it!

Today Ellen and Denise  welcome Tess Brigham, a licensed psychotherapist, life coach and former twenty-something.  In a recent article from CNBC Tess says: “Over a decade ago, when I first became a therapist, I never expected that five years later, my practice would consist of nearly 90% millennials, with the rest of my patients being parents of millennials.”  So she’s got both sides of the story for us. 

Tess has been featured in major media throughout the US  - from the New York Times to O Magazine.  So, we are pretty excited to have her with us today.

In that recent CNBC article, she says that the number one complaint parents have about their adult kids is money.  With that lead, we thought we’d challenge Tess with helping us with constructive strategies for the TOP 10 issues between adult kids and their parents.

Listen to hear what she says.  We talk about:

• How she became a millennial therapist
• Social Media:  Keeping up with the Jones'
• How are millennials different from our generation
• What is it about this generation that no other generation has experienced before?
• Why is this stage of emerging adults so difficult?

Tess Brigham Coaching
YouTube Channel - lots of tips and tricks

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Some deals for listeners:
Denise's favorite shape-wear company.  Denise particularly LOVES their best selling Truekind Daily Comfort Wireless Bra.  "It holds you up and is so comfortable.  I am hooked - truly," says Denise.  Use this link and just put biteyourtongue (one word) in the CODE at checkout.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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This is one funny episode.  That's why we are doing a special EPISODE REWIND. 

Today we interview Susan Engel, a professor of psychology at Williams College and the author of the New York Times Article:  When They're Grown, The Real Pain Begins.   

Joining Denise as co-host is a dear friend Val Haller.  Val is the mother of four boys, very similar to the ages of Susan's boys when she wrote this article so she is our perfect co-host. (more about Val at the end)

Susan tells us that this article still gets very much attention and you can see this by just looking at the over 500 comments and the angst and of course love in so many of them.

One of the lines in her NYT story that resonated with us was a quote from a neighbor when she brought her first baby home at a few months old -- "“When they’re little they sit on your lap; when they’re big they sit on your heart.”

Susan takes us through her journey when she wrote the article in 2012 and her three boys were 28, 25 and 19.  Today, ten years later,  she is a grandmother with two of these three boys married and living right next door.  Can you imagine?

About Val Haller - our co-host:
Val lives in Chicago and is passionate about music.  She is the founder/CEO of the music website Valslist.com. She launched it about 10 years ago (when her nest was empty) and it is the first music site specifically created to help busy adults keep up with new music.  Check it out.

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Support us  P L E A S E!
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Great Deal for Listeners!
Denise's favorite shape-wear company.  Denise particularly LOVES their best selling Truekind Daily Comfort Wireless Bra.  "It holds you up and is so comfortable.  I am hooked - truly," says Denise.  Use this link and just put biteyourtongue (one word) in the CODE at checkout.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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The emerging adult - now recognized as “the third stage of life.” 

Our guest today says that studying the emerging adult years (about age 19-29) is much like studying the preschool years — the preschool years set the stage for the teen years, and the emerging adult years set the stage for the future adulthood.  

Today we talk with Dr. Larry Nelson, one of the world’s leading researchers on the emerging adult years. Dr. Nelson is the president of the Study of Emerging Adulthood (SSEA) and examines factors that contribute to flourishing or floundering during this time. He has published over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters in edited books on topics including conceptions of adulthood, social withdrawal, and the role of parents and culture in the transition to adulthood.

Here are some things you will learn from today’s episode:

• Why is this period of life critical to setting the stage for the adult years?
• What role do parents play during this stage of life? 
• What are the signals for the flourishing and/or floundering young adult?
• Why our generation might not have done it “right.”
• How this stage of life is dealt with in many other parts of the world, and how we can learn from them.
  …and more
  To learn more about the emerging adult and Dr. Nelson, here are some informative links:
• Society for the Study of Emerging Adulthood
• Flourishing in Emerging Adulthood, book by Dr. Nelson
• Distinguishing Features of Emerging Adulthood: The Role of Self-Classification as an Adult

We are anxious to hear your thoughts once you have listened to the episode.

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Support us  P L E A S E!
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Great Deal for Listeners!
Denise's favorite shape-wear company.  Denise particularly LOVES their best selling Truekind Daily Comfort Wireless Bra.  "It holds you up and is so comfortable.  I am hooked - truly," says Denise.  Use this link and just put biteyourtongue (one word) in the CODE at checkout.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Today we talk about the COVID-19 Outbreak and the rise of anxiety and depression in young adults. 

We know we are all tired of hearing and reading about COVID-19. But this article in the New York Times caught our attention:  Young Adults Report Rising Levels  of Anxiety and Depression in Pandemic 

We reached out to the lead author of the study, Mark Czeisler, to talk more about it. Mark is actually younger than many of our adult children, but at 25 years old, he's an accomplished researcher and provided an insightful and impressive interview. 

He is one of a group of scientists (four from Harvard and one from the University of Melbourne) involved in the COPE Initiative. COPE, which stands for COVID-19 Outbreak Public Evaluation Initiative, assesses public attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs related to the coronavirus disease and the pandemic. The goal is to evaluate mental and behavioral health during the pandemic. 

Mark is well-spoken and takes us behind the scenes of this study, underscoring the way emerging adults have been affected -- maybe for the long-term -- by the global pandemic. 

He provides suggestions on how we might support our young adult children and also shares some interesting trends in mental health programs, both at the corporate and governmental levels, that were initiated by this study.

We think you will enjoy this - and it is a short one!

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Support us  P L E A S E!
Buy us a coffee:  LINK HERE
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Great Deal for Listeners!
Denise's favorite shape-wear company.  Denise particularly LOVES their best selling Truekind Daily Comfort Wireless Bra.  "It holds you up and is so comfortable.  I am hooked - truly," says Denise.  Use this link and just put biteyourtongue (one word) in the CODE at checkout.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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We delve into the world of pregnancy and fertility challenges that our young adult children are facing. With couples taking longer to marry or start families, this has become a significant issue for young adults, and as parents, it’s crucial for us to understand the landscape. A listener reached out to request an exploration of this topic, so we invited Elizabeth King, a Certified Life Coach specializing in Fertility, Miscarriage, and New Mom Support, to join us. Elizabeth, a proud IVF warrior and mother of three children born after age 40, brings invaluable insights and experience to the conversation.

We discuss:

• Options for Young Couples: Our guest highlights that while the expenses can be significant, many companies offer partial coverage, and there are also grants and resources available. You can find more information and resources here.
• Miscarriage and Infertility: We dive into the emotional and psychological impacts of miscarriage and infertility.  We also discuss how we can be supportive.
• Finding Trustworthy Care
• Advances in Science.

A big thank you to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer, for making this episode possible. We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts with us at biteyourtongue@gmail.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Today we speak with Kerrie Lee Brown, the author of the book My Heart, My Self: A Guide for Women Who Do Too Much.   

Are you a people pleaser?   Do you do too much and neglect yourself?  

This episode is for you.

 Does it relate to building healthy relationships with your adult children? 
You bet it does. 

Taking care of yourself and your health and learning to say "no," are the exact things that make us good parents - for our children at any age,

Kerrie's story spoke to us. We hope it speaks to you.  

 She also founded an online platform called RedLily, a bold new brand that dedicated to women who want to share their stories and support each other. Kerri believes that each of us have stories to tell. 

Denise shared a special story on the RedLily platform and will share it with listeners when it goes live.

Today we are sharing Kerrie’s remarkable story that started her on a journey to helping women around the world tell their own stories and live their best lives. 

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

Support us  P L E A S E!
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Great Deal for Listeners!
Denise's favorite shape-wear company.  Denise particularly LOVES their best selling Truekind Daily Comfort Wireless Bra.  "It holds you up and is so comfortable.  I am hooked - truly," says Denise.  Use this link and just put biteyourtongue (one word) in the CODE at checkout.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Happy Father's Day.  We hope many father's (and even mother's) listen and take this episode to heart.  It's a good one!

Today, we welcome Dr. Deryl Goldenberg. We learned about him when we saw an article he wrote called: “The Psychology Behind Strained Father and Son Relationships.” With many years of  working with men in therapy, the issues that come up with careers or relationships can often be traced back to their lack of a relationship with their fathers.

 Goldenberg is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 30 years in private practice.  He is also the Executive Director of the Verdugo Hills Autism Project, a non-public agency providing intervention services to children with emotional and developmental disorders. 

 Today, in honor of Father’s Day we want to talk about the father’s role in the life of the emerging adult child.  We tend to focus so much on mothers, and the father is behind the curtain or many times silent.

We talk about so many things and his thoughtful answers can apply to nearly any relationship in our lives.  To become a surgeon, carpenter or teacher takes time, practice and work, he says - but so do relationships. 

For a strong relationship to develop a father has to be interested in really knowing their child - whatever their life choices.  This reminded us a bit about our conversation with Rosjke Hasseldine, when she spoke about "understanding" one another.  You do  not have to agree, but work to understand.  If you missed it, here is a link to that episode.
Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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We sharing our LGBTQ+ episode that we dropped in Season I for Pride Month.  It remains one of our favorite episodes.

We hope you will listen.

Here are the episode notes from the earlier episode:

Every time I listen to an episode, I think to myself, "everyone needs to listen to this. There are so many valuable nuggets of information for all of us in every episode."

For this episode - I plead with everyone to listen and share it.  

Many of us think we are progressive and accepting, but to step into someone's shoes helps us learn so much more.  This episode is NOT JUST FOR PARENTS of LGBTQ+ children, but for ALL OF US.  Let me know what you think.
 
Today I speak with Levi Teachey, who is the Board President of PFLAG Denver, and Stacey Shigaya, who is the organization's Board Secretary.

Levi shares his very personal journey as a trans man and Stacey shares her journey both as an ally within the LGBTQ+ community and with her daughter who is pansexual.

We discuss both their stories and the rapidly changing landscape of this community.  Planned Parenthood writes: "Understanding the words, and the labels people use encourages respect and understanding."

Please share the episode with friends and family who you think might benefit.

Stacey and Levi also shared these documents which I found very helpful:

Glossary of Terms (https://pflag.org/glossary)
Faith FAQs (https://pflag.org/faithfaq)
Becoming a Trans Ally 101 (https://pflag.org/transally101recording)

Finally, Levi ends each of his emails with this phrase -- "courage, kindness and lasting change," -- keep it handy!

PFLAG is a national organization founded in 1972 by Jeanne Manford, who marched with her son, in a gay pride parade in New York, with a sign that read: "Parents of Gays Unite."  It has become one of the most important organizations building support for friends and families of the LGBTQ+ community.  

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The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.

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Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of BITE YOUR TONGUE: The Podcast.

You asked for it!  This is another episode that answers a listener question!

But before we start - think about supporting the podcast and buy us a coffee.  That's all it takes.  CLICK HERE TO BUY US A COFFEE.

This is a quick a very quick refresher course on understanding the LGBTQ+ pronouns and language

About a year ago we had  of our most emotional episodes about understanding LGBTQ+ with Levi Teachey, President of P-Flag Denver and Stacy Shigaway, a parent of a pansexual daughter.

Even since that episode things have changed.  We can't seem to keep our  pronouns and language straight for this ever-changing community.

Our listeners asked for a refresher and we are happy to oblige. And we found the perfect guest. 

Denise was in LA recently visiting her daughter.  She took a walk with a friend and a young 20-something person joined the group who identified as non-binary, using the pronoun “they.”  Denise was  tripping over her tongue the entire walk and finally at the end she asked they if they might join us on the podcast.  They agreed and here we are.

They is concise and articulate. 

Here is a link to the article we discuss:  What Quakers Can Teach Us About the Politics of Pronouns.

This may be from WIKI, but we found this helpful as well. Print it out and work on learning these new and important pronouns. 

Thanks so much to Connie Gorant Fisher, our audio engineer.

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Buy us a coffee:  LINK HERE
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Great Deal for Listeners!
Denise's favorite shape-wear company.  Denise particularly LOVES their best selling Truekind Daily Comfort Wireless Bra.  "It holds you up and is so comfortable.  I am hooked - truly," says Denise.  Use this link and just put biteyourtongue (one word) in the CODE at checkout.

Support the show

The site and podcast do not contain any medical/health information or advice. The medical/health information is for general information and educational purposes only and is not suitable for professional device. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OF OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE SITE OR PODCAST IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK.